aqb-20201029false000160397800016039782020-10-292020-10-29
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) | October 29, 2020 |
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AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. |
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
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Delaware | 001-36426 | 04-3156167 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
2 Mill & Main Place, Suite 395, Maynard, Massachusetts
(Address of principal executive offices)
978-648-6000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) |
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Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of exchange on which registered |
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share | AQB | The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On October 29, 2020, AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. issued a press release announcing Mayfield, Kentucky as a potential location for a planned 10,000 metric-ton salmon farm. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information included in this Current Report on Form 8-K pursuant to Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, is intended to be furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
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Exhibit No. | | Description |
| | Press release issued by AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. on October 29, 2020, furnished herewith. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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| | AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. |
| | (Registrant) |
October 29, 2020 | | /s/ David A. Frank |
| | David A. Frank |
| | Chief Financial Officer |
DocumentAquaBounty Technologies, Inc. Announces Mayfield, Kentucky as Potential Location for Planned 10,000 Metric Ton Salmon Farm
MAYNARD, Mass., October 29, 2020 -- AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: AQB) (“AquaBounty” or the “Company”), a land-based aquaculture company utilizing technology to enhance productivity and sustainability, today announced that it has identified Mayfield, Kentucky as the potential location for its planned large-scale farm for the Company’s proprietary AquAdvantage salmon.
The new farm will be AquaBounty’s first large-scale commercial facility with a planned 10,000 metric ton annual production capacity – or about eight times the size of its currently operating farm in Albany, Indiana, which has a 1,200 metric ton annual production capacity.
Mayfield, in Graves County, Kentucky, is the leading location after an exhaustive nationwide search spanning approximately 230 sites. Evaluation criteria for the Company’s third farm included sufficient water and wastewater volumes, low electricity prices, proximity to major population centers, availability of skilled labor pools and a stable, supportive political environment.
“We are pleased to have identified a site in Mayfield as meeting or exceeding all selection criteria for our third farm,” said Sylvia Wulf, Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty. “The Graves County community and site location met all suitability and technical requirements. At both the state and local level, we found a welcome economic environment and favorable incentives for our business.”
“We now are negotiating details of the potential purchase, conducting due diligence, and are moving forward as quickly as possible to finalize the transaction. This milestone positions AquaBounty to rapidly expand our geographic footprint and meet our long-term production goals, creating value for our shareholders,” concluded Wulf.
Construction is expected to begin in 2021 and the company anticipates the farm will be ready for commercial production to commence in 2023. The facility will potentially bring approximately 70-90 new jobs to the region.
About AquaBounty
AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: AQB) is a leader in the field of land-based aquaculture and the use of technology for improving its productivity and sustainability. The Company’s objective is to ensure the availability of high-quality seafood to meet global consumer demand, while addressing critical production constraints in the most popular farmed species.
The Company’s AquAdvantage fish program is based upon a single, specific molecular modification in fish that results in more rapid growth in early development. With aquaculture facilities located in Prince Edward Island, Canada, and Indiana, USA, AquaBounty is raising its disease-free, antibiotic-free salmon in land-based recirculating aquaculture systems, offering a reduced carbon footprint and no risk of pollution of marine ecosystems as compared to traditional sea-cage farming. For more information, please visit www.aquabounty.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, that involve significant risks and uncertainties about AquaBounty. AquaBounty may use words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “can,” “focus,” “will,” and “may” and similar expressions to identify such forward-looking statements. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are risks relating to, among other things, whether or not AquaBounty will be able to raise capital, market and other conditions, AquaBounty’s business and financial condition, and the impact of general economic, public health, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by AquaBounty, see disclosures contained in AquaBounty’s public filings with the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included in this press release and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and AquaBounty undertakes no obligation to update such statements as a result of new information, except as required by law.
Company Contact:
AquaBounty Technologies
Dave Conley
Corporate Communications
(613) 294-3078
Investor Relations:
Greg Falesnik or Luke Zimmerman
MZ Group - MZ North America
(949) 259-4987
AQB@mzgroup.us